Muslims offer prayers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca during Haj last year. File Pic

Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi's announcement yesterday on no subsidy for Haj from this year sparked widespread reactions from the Muslim community. Earlier this year, Naqvi had said that the Centre would abolish the subsidy in accordance with a Supreme Court order, adding, "This was part of our policy to empower minorities with dignity and without appeasement."